The field of the invention relates generally to turbine engines and, more particularly, to a component removal apparatus that may be used with turbine engines.
At least some known turbine engines, such as gas turbine engines, include a compressor, at least one combustor, and a turbine. The compressor generally includes a compressor discharge casing (CDC) that encases the combustor. At least some known gas turbine engines channel air through the CDC. The compressor also includes a stationary inner barrel, wherein the aft end of the inner barrel is coupled to the CDC. The inner barrel is formed of two semi-cylindrical mating halves or portions that are coupled to each other generally along a horizontal midline forming an annulus. More specifically, the upper and lower mating portions are coupled to each other at a horizontal joint. The inner barrel, in part, segregates a high-pressure region external to the inner barrel from a lower pressure region within the inner barrel and about a rotor. The inner barrel portion at the horizontal joint have metal-to-metal contact surfaces that are machined to high tolerances in efforts to eliminate leakage after assembly and during use.
During maintenance of the gas turbine engine, the inner barrel upper mating portion is separated from the inner barrel lower mating portion, and the upper mating portion is removed from the gas turbine engine. However, it can be difficult to separate the upper and lower mating portions from each other. For example, the upper and lower mating portions may deform due to the relatively high combustion temperatures during normal operation of the turbine engine. The deformation may inhibit the separation between the upper and lower mating portions. Moreover, while sledge hammers and wedges may be used at the horizontal joint in order to achieve separation, the inner barrel joint has been known to be damaged via the process. Hydraulic jacks have been considered to be used between the rotor and the inner barrel to apply an upward force such that the upper mating portion can be separated from the lower mating portion, and the upper mating portion can be removed from the gas turbine engine. However, such a process has not been approved by industry standards.